Refrigerator and control method therefor

ABSTRACT

A control method for a refrigerator includes supplying water to an ice making unit, determining if the water supply is normal, if the water supply is normal, entering an ice making mode, and if the water supply is abnormal, entering a hold mode. The determination as to whether or not the water supply is normal is carried out by determining if the water supply is normal according to a temperature change value of an ice making unit before and after the water supply. A refrigerator carrying out the method is also provided.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of household appliances, and in particular, to a refrigerator and a control method therefor.

2. Related Art

A refrigerator is a household appliance achieving cooling and/or freezing of food through refrigeration cycles, and includes a storage compartment for placing the food and a door for opening or closing the storage compartment.

An ice making compartment used for making and storing ice is located in the storage compartment or in the door of the refrigerator. The ice making compartment includes an ice making tray and a sensor used for measuring the temperature of the ice making tray, and the sensor is usually arranged at the bottom of the ice making tray. A water supply system of the refrigerator supplies water to the ice making compartment, and after the water is supplied to the ice making tray, cold air is introduced into the ice making compartment by a fan or through a fixed passage. Ice cubes in a specific shape are formed in the ice making tray, and then the ice cubes are separated from the ice making tray by rotating the ice making tray and are stored in an ice storage box located on one side of the ice making tray.

In addition, the foregoing operation is implemented in an ideal condition. The water supply system of the refrigerator may be unable to supply water because of internal or external reasons, such as water shortage in the process of the water supply, or a fault of the water supply system. In this case, the system still performs the operation of introducing the cold air to the ice making compartment, which results in a waste of energy.

SUMMARY

In order to solve at least one problem described in the prior art, the present invention provides a refrigerator and a control method therefor, which can accurately detect whether a water supply system is normal.

To achieve the foregoing objectives, the present invention provides a control method for a refrigerator, where the method includes the following steps: supplying water to an ice making unit; determining whether the water supply is normal; if the water supply is normal, entering an ice making mode, and if the water supply is abnormal, entering a hold mode; where the determining whether the water supply is normal uses the following manner: determining whether the water supply is normal according to a temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply.

Compared with the manner of determining whether the water supply is normal according to a fixed temperature value, the determining manner according to the temperature change value prevents false determination caused by external interference. For example, when the internal temperature of the ice making unit exceeds a certain value, even if the water supply is normal, the temperature measured by a temperature sensor after the water supply may still be lower than an expected value. However, when the temperature change value is used in determination, the foregoing problem can be prevented, so that the accuracy of determining whether the water supply is normal is improved.

Optionally, a method for acquiring the temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply includes: measuring the ice making unit before the water supply, and taking a measurement result as a first temperature; measuring the ice making unit a set period of time after the water supply is completed, and taking a measurement result as a second temperature; the temperature change value being a difference between the second temperature and the first temperature. The measurement is performed a set period of time after the water supply is completed, so that heat of the water that enters the ice making unit is fully conducted to the temperature sensor. As a result, the temperature sensor can relatively truly reflect the temperature change caused by the water entering the ice making unit.

Optionally, a range of the set period of time is 1 minute to 5 minutes. If the time is too short, the heat of the water may not be conducted to the temperature sensor, and if the time is too long, the water temperature declines obviously. Setting the period too long or too short makes the temperatures measured by the temperature sensor lower, resulting in false determination. The range of the set period of time from 1 minute to 5 minutes is a comparatively good result obtained by researchers through multiple experiments.

Optionally, the set period of time is 3 minutes. Experiments show that the water temperature measured by the temperature sensor 3 minutes after the water supply is completed is comparatively accurate, so that the control unit of the refrigerator can determine whether to supply the water more accurately.

Optionally, the temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply is compared with a preset temperature difference reference value to determine whether the water supply is normal.

Optionally, when the temperature change value is greater than or equal to a preset reference value, it is determined that the water supply is normal; when the temperature change value is smaller than the reference value, it is determined that the water supply is abnormal.

Optionally, the temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply is divided by a period of time in which the temperature changes to obtain a temperature change rate, and then the temperature change rate is compared with a preset temperature change rate reference value, so as to determine whether the water supply is normal. In some ice making units, the water supply is controlled by controlling a water flow rate and water supply time. When the water flow rate is high, the water supply time is short; and when the water rate is low, the water supply time is long. Whether the water supply is normal can be more accurately determined by comparing the temperature change rates.

Optionally, the temperature of the ice making unit is measured by the temperature sensor located at the bottom of an ice making tray of the ice making unit.

Optionally, after entering the ice making mode, a cooling fan is started to provide cold air to the ice making unit. The fan is used to improve an ice making speed.

Optionally, the ice making speed of the ice making unit is controlled by controlling a wind speed and a running frequency of the cooling fan. When it is needed to make ice at the highest speed, the fan keeps running and the wind speed is the highest; if the requirement on the ice making speed is not high, to save energy, the fan may be stopped after running for a period of time and then be started again, and also the wind speed may be adjusted to a proper speed.

Optionally, after entering a storage mode, a current operation is stored in a memory unit of the refrigerator.

Optionally, data stored in the memory unit may be displayed on a display unit of the refrigerator. A user may display the stored data on the display unit, and the stored data may also be automatically displayed on the display unit to be viewed by the user.

Optionally, after entering the storage mode, an alarm signal is output. The alarm signal may be an alarm sound, or an alarm image displayed on a display module of the refrigerator.

In order to achieve the foregoing objectives, the present invention also provides a refrigerator, which includes a control unit, where the control unit uses the method according to any one of the claims to control the refrigerator.

The structure, other objectives and beneficial effects of the present invention will be more readily understood with reference to the description of the preferred embodiments in combination with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following accompanying drawing exemplarily describes and explains the present invention, but does not limit the scope of the present invention. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic flowchart of a control method for an ice making unit of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to make the objectives, solutions and beneficial effects of the invention more obvious and understandable, the following further describes the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawing and preferred embodiments.

This embodiment uses a side-by-side refrigerator provided with an automatic ice making machine as an example. The refrigerator is provided with a water supply system, and the water supply system is directly connected to a water tap and may also be connected to bottled water. The water supply system is controlled by a control unit of the refrigerator to supply water to the automatic ice making machine.

The ice making machine includes an ice making tray, and ice cubes in a specific shape can be formed in the ice making tray. A temperature sensor used for temperature measurement is arranged at the bottom of the ice making tray. The temperature sensor transmits measured data to the control unit. After ice making is completed, the ice making tray overturns automatically, so that the formed ice cubes fall into an ice cube storage box for a user to take.

In order to make ice rapidly, in addition to a passage for air communication to introduce cold air into an ice making compartment, a fan for blowing the cold air from a freezing compartment into the ice making compartment is further arranged. A running frequency and a rotating speed of the fan are controlled by the control unit according to a requirement on the ice making speed. The higher the frequency and the rotating speed are, the higher the ice making speed becomes. The fan is usually started after the water supply system completes supplying water to the ice making machine.

The temperature sensor located at the bottom of the ice making tray can be used to test whether the water supply to the ice making machine by the water system is normal. This is because: after room temperature water is introduced into the ice making tray from the water tap, the temperature at the bottom of the ice making tray increases obviously and the temperature sensor transmits the measured temperature to the control unit for determination.

A first determination method is as follows: the temperature sensor measures the temperature a period of time, for example 3 minutes, after the water supply is completed, and transmits a measurement result to the control unit. If the measurement result is lower than a preset value, such as −2° C., it is determined that the water supply is abnormal; on the contrary, if the measurement result is higher than or equal to −2° C., it is determined that the water supply is normal. This determination method is feasible in most cases, but may become ineffective in some cases. For example, if the temperature inside the ice making compartment before the water supply is very low, for example −20° C., even if the water supply is normal, the temperature at the bottom of the ice making tray will still be lower than −2° C. after a specific period of time. According to the foregoing determination conditions, in this case, the water supply is determined as abnormal by mistake.

Referring to FIG. 1, a second determination method includes the following steps: step 11: measure a temperature of the ice making unit, and a measurement result is a first temperature T1; the measurement is performed before the water system supplies water, that is, the measurement is performed when there is no water in the ice making tray, and the first temperature T1 approximately equals the temperature inside the ice making compartment; step 12: the water system supplies water to the ice making unit; step 13: measure the temperature of the ice making unit 3 minutes after the water supply is completed, and a measurement result is a second temperature T2; the reason why the measurement is performed 3 minutes after the water supply is completed is to allow the heat of the water that enters the ice making tray just now to be fully conducted to the temperature sensor; step 14: the control unit calculates a temperature change value, that is, T2-T1; step 15: compare the temperature change value with a reference value; if the temperature change value is smaller than the reference value, perform step 16: the water supply is abnormal, enter a storage mode; if the temperature change value is greater than or equal to the reference value, perform step 17: the water supply is normal, and enter an ice making mode.

After the water supply is completed, the heat of the water in the ice making tray needs a period of time to be fully conducted to the temperature sensor located at the bottom of the ice making tray. If the time is too short, the temperature value measured by the temperature sensor will be relatively low, easily leading to a false determination by the control unit; if the time is too long, the water in the ice making tray has been cooled and the temperature declines substantially, and a relatively low temperature value measured by the temperature sensor also has an impact on the determination of the control unit. The set period of time, that is, 3 minutes, is a comparatively good conclusion obtained by researchers through multiple experiments.

The second method is more accurate than the first one in determining whether the water supply is normal. Taking the temperature change value instead of an absolute temperature as the reference standard can prevent the aforementioned false determination in cases where the temperature inside the ice making compartment is very low before the water supply.

When the water supply is normal, enter the ice making mode, that is, start the fan to blow cold air to the ice making compartment, so as to make ice rapidly. The control unit can control, according to the ice making speed setting, the running frequency and speed of the fan. The ice making is completed after the set period of time for ice making, and the ice making tray overturns to pour the ice cubes into the ice cube storage box.

When the water supply is abnormal, enter the storage mode. In the storage mode, firstly a memory unit of the refrigerator stores the position and time of the current water supply abnormality, that is, the component of the refrigerator on which the water supply abnormality occurs, which usually may be the ice making machine or a drinking water position. The stored data may be directly displayed on a display unit of the refrigerator, and the information may also be viewed by a user through operating the display unit. An alarm unit may be further arranged in the refrigerator, and when abnormality occurs in the water system, an alarm signal is sent out, such as an alarm sound or an alarm image generated by the display unit.

In another embodiment, a total amount of the water supply is controlled by controlling the speed and time of the water supply. After the temperature sensor detects and obtains the temperature change value before and after the water supply, the temperature change value is divided by the time of the water supply to obtain a temperature change rate. The temperature change rate is compared with a preset temperature change rate reference value; if the temperature change rate is smaller than the reference value, the water supply is abnormal, and if the temperature change rate is greater than or equal to the reference value, the water supply is normal. 

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A control method for a refrigerator, the control method comprising the following steps: supplying water to an ice making unit; determining if the water supply is normal by determining a temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply; if the water supply is normal, entering an ice making mode; and if the water supply is abnormal, entering a hold mode.
 16. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises carrying out the step of determining the temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply by: measuring a temperature of the ice making unit before the water supply to obtain a measurement result being used as a first temperature; measuring a temperature of the ice making unit at a set period of time after the water supply is completed to obtain a measurement result being used as a second temperature; and determining the temperature change value as a difference between the second temperature and the first temperature.
 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the set period of time has a range of from 1 minute to 5 minutes.
 18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the set period of time is 3 minutes.
 19. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises comparing the temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply with a preset temperature difference reference value, to determine if the water supply is normal.
 20. The method according to claim 19, which further comprises: determining that the water supply is normal when the temperature change value is greater than or equal to the preset reference value; and determining that the water supply is abnormal when the temperature change value is smaller than the reference value.
 21. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises: dividing the temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply by a period of time in which the temperature changes, to obtain a temperature change rate; and then comparing the temperature change rate with a preset temperature change rate reference value, to determine if the water supply is normal.
 22. The method according to claim 15, which further comprises measuring the temperature of the ice making unit by using a temperature sensor located at a bottom of an ice making tray of the ice making unit.
 23. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises after entering the ice making mode, starting a cooling fan to provide cold air to the ice making unit.
 24. The method according to claim 23, which further comprises controlling an ice making speed of the ice making unit by controlling a wind speed and a running frequency of the cooling fan.
 25. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises storing a current operation in a memory unit of the refrigerator after entering the hold mode.
 26. The method according to claim 25, which further comprises displaying data stored in the memory unit on a display unit of the refrigerator.
 27. The method according to claim 16, which further comprises outputting an alarm signal after entering the hold mode.
 28. A refrigerator, comprising: a control unit controlling the refrigerator by: supplying water to an ice making unit; determining if the water supply is normal by determining a temperature change value of the ice making unit before and after the water supply; if the water supply is normal, entering an ice making mode; and if the water supply is abnormal, entering a hold mode. 